


When All Seems Lost

by the_overlord



Series: Secrets, secrets are no fun... [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional, Father Son Bonding, Gen, I love their relationship, Pre Sterek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-04-19
Packaged: 2017-12-08 23:03:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_overlord/pseuds/the_overlord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After all the lies and deceit Stiles and the Sheriff are barely speaking and Stiles is so close to breaking that he fears he may have already broken. But maybe all is not lost, and maybe when the truth comes out there's a possibility of a second chance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When All Seems Lost

**Author's Note:**

> So there isn't any Sterek in this or the next part, but in this series that is my end goal. I hope you enjoy what I very much enjoyed writing.

There was a light on in the house when Stiles pulled into the driveway and he paused inside the Jeep, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly until it audibly creaked under his hands, and sighed deeply trying to work up the courage to leave the vehicle. He’d been hoping that his dad would have been in bed by the time he got home but it appeared he had waited up. With the way things had been between them lately Stiles wasn’t sure that was a good thing.

It was the lies, the god damn poisonous lies. They’d become too much, they’d ruined everything. Every day he was forced to omit large chunks of his life from the only family he had left and if the aching in his heart was anything to go by, it was taking its toll on him. He couldn’t even remember the last time his father had looked him in the eye, the last time they’d sat down and had dinner, the last time he’d smiled in his direction or even at all. Now all he got were disappointed glances and excuses to be away from him.

And it wasn’t as if he didn’t get back as good as he got, it was hardly as if his dad believed he was studying with Scott, or that he was getting clumsier and that was the reason he always had new cuts and bruises, or that he had accidentally broken into that psychic’s shop the week before. The lies just kept coming and the trust just kept on falling.

Slipping out of the car he shouldered his backpack and began the short walk to the door, wishing it was longer, wishing he could scale the building like Derek did and sneak in through the window. Once again the drawbacks of humanity presented themselves, the lack of incredible agility and power, although he had to admit the prospect of turning into a slobbering, instinct driven, killing machine every full moon wasn’t exactly enticing to him most days. But now it almost seemed like an acceptable sacrifice to avoid the situation he was walking into.

He turned his key in the lock.

His dad wasn’t on the couch like he’d expected and for a minute he hoped that perhaps the light had been left on by accident and that Stiles could creep away to his room and hide from the pain for another day, but movement in the doorway to the kitchen had his heart sinking back down into his stomach, the punishing beats feeling like some kind of death march as his dad emerged from the dark kitchen. He swallowed and attempted a smile.

‘Hey dad.’

His dad didn’t respond just looked at him as if he were seeing him for the first time. His brow was creased, his face blank and closed off, and Stiles felt his fists tighten by his sides, nails biting into the skin of his palms as he tried not to break under the intensity of his dad’s scrutiny. He felt like a criminal brought before the Sherriff, and with all he’d done he couldn’t help but wonder if that was exactly what he was. Smothering the urge to let the exhaustion take hold, to just fall to the floor and beg for it to all be over, cry until the pain vanished, Stiles shifted the bag from where it was digging into the meat of his shoulder and began to walk towards the stairs, a stream of words propelling him forwards.

‘So I’m kind of exhausted,’ Truth, ‘Long lacrosse practice today,’ Lie, ‘You know I think I’m getting better, maybe even better than Scott,’ Lie, ‘So I think I’m just going to go straight to bed and sleep off today.’

Even that was a lie although he wished it were true. But his bag was heavy with work both supernatural and human all required as soon as possible meaning instead of a good solid 8 hours Stiles had a couple of Adderall and half a RedBull to look forward too.

‘Stiles wait.’

He froze on the second step, turning to look at his dad who had moved further into the room, his expression still closed off and terrifying. With a sigh of resignation Stiles stepped off of the staircase and faced his dad expectantly, waiting for the lecture, the disappointment, the-

‘Stiles, I am so proud of you.’

What?

For a second he worried he was imagining things, that his sleep deprived brain had decided to play a twisted game with him, but the warm press of his father’s arms around his shoulders confirmed reality however improbable. Not quite believing or even understanding, Stiles wasted no time in wrapping his arms around his dad and burying his face in his shoulder. For a blissful second the weight on his shoulders disappeared, his head cleared and his heart beat normally again. Far too soon his father pulled back, fighting a little to escape the childlike grip Stiles was maintaining, but he didn’t move away completely, only back far enough that he could place his hands on Stiles’ shoulders and look at his face properly.

There was a second of stillness, heavy and confusing before the Sherriff huffed out a choked laugh and said,

‘Who would have thought it eh, werewolves?’

‘What?’

Stiles stepped back, shock causing his body to seize up and go rigid as his mouth hung open like an idiot. Surprisingly his dad just chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, watching Stiles process the news in amusement. Through the hazy shock he managed to stutter out,

‘But – But how did you find out? How do you know?’

How are you taking this so well?

‘I had a visit from a friend of yours earlier, said he was tired of making you lie for him, that perhaps it would be better if I knew, better for everyone. To say I was shocked to find out that instead of sneaking out into the forest to have unprotected sex, take drugs and drink yourself disorderly, you were sneaking into the forest to battle the forces of supernatural evil, is an understatement. He told me that you’re a hero Stiles, that without you a lot of people would have died including him. He told me what you’ve had to sacrifice, what you’ve dealt with, what you had to keep from me - ’

‘Dad- ’

‘No wait hear me out, because I have to get across how proud I am of you. You’ve become such an amazing young man and I didn’t quite get that until today. And I understand why you kept it from me, but knowing now what you’ve been through I can’t help but be amazed by the strength you possess. You get it from your mother you know, the loyalty, the bravery. I may be the Sheriff but her protectiveness was the fiercest I have ever seen, and when she believed in something strongly there was nothing that could move her. You remind me of her,’ Stiles flinched slightly, ‘in a good way. In a fantastic way.  She would be so proud of you too, her little boy fighting against the world to protect those he cares about, I don’t think proud even covers it. I know she’s watching from wherever she is and I’m glad this is the son I’ve raised. I am so god damned proud. And I'm so sorry I doubted you.’

He tugged Stiles into a fierce embrace, holding him tight and telling him over and over how delighted he was. It was too much, Stiles couldn’t help but let go of the tentative hold he’d had on his emotions. A single tear slid down his face, over the arch of his nose and collecting in the dip of his mouth. Noticing, his father just held him tighter and waited for him to compose himself. When he could swallow down the lump in his throat Stiles managed a weak, watery,

‘So you’re not mad?’

‘Mad? Never. Well not at you at least. I am going to need a detailed list of who hurt you, their species and how to kill them, but we can talk about that tomorrow. Right now just know that I could never ask for a better son, no matter what trouble you get into, or what drama you are dealing with, I will always do my best to help you now that I know.’

‘I love you dad, so much. I hated keeping this from you, it killed me knowing I was disappointing you, knowing I was letting you down. I knew you didn't believe any of the lies I told you, I saw the disappointment each and every _damn_ time, and I couldn't do anything, couldn't say anything, and it just -’

His throat seized up again and he fell silent still curled against his dad’s side. Shushing him the Sheriff rubbed his hand up and down Stiles’ side urging him to calm down and listening as his breathing became less laboured. Even then the two remained silent, basking in the honesty, in the closeness both physical and emotional. The touching moment was cut tragically short as Stiles yawned loudly, arms shooting up above his head until his back clicked and a pained groan worked its way up from his chest. Clucking his tongue the Sheriff began to mutter about bed and the health hazards of a supernatural adjacent life, before herding his son up the stairs at a brisk pace, ordering him into his bedroom. As he followed his dad’s instructions Stiles muttered a sleepy goodnight smiling as he got one in return, something that had been sorely missing from his last few nights. Flopping down onto his bed Stiles let himself beam and wriggle around in the softness of the sheets feeling overwhelmingly happy and content. He couldn’t believe how much everything had changed, how much lighter he felt knowing that he could finally tell his father everything, that he was no longer burdened by such heavy secrets. He feared his face might split from the smiling.

There was a knock on the door before his dad’s head poked round, he grinned gently as he took in his son’s collapsed form.

‘Sorry to intrude, but I forgot to tell you that before he left, Derek told me to tell you that the research he asked you to do can wait for a while so not to push yourself trying to do it on two hours sleep. He was kind of insistent on an early night actually, and looking at the bags under your eyes I have to agree. Go to bed, if you have school work due I can write you a note for tomorrow. Just sleep for now ok? I feel you probably need it.’

Stiles nodded happily, eyes already drifting shut before he bolted upright startling his dad.

‘Wait, _Derek_? Derek was the one who told you, who came to see you? Derek Hale?’

Bemusedly his dad nodded.

‘Who did you think I was talking about?’

‘Well I kind of assumed it was Scott, maybe Isaac, but I would have suggested _Jackson_ before Derek.’ He paused looking ponderous. ‘Huh, I guess he doesn’t hate me after all.’

The Sherriff just shook his head in mock exasperation, indulging himself in his son’s obliviousness.

‘No Stiles, I don’t think he hates you at all. Good night, I love you.’

He pulled the door shut, smiling as he heard the returned ‘Love you’ through the closed door followed by gentle slightly off key humming. Wandering to his room he couldn’t help but wonder if his wife would be proud of him too. He liked to think so, after all, he’d raised a pretty kick ass son.

Yeah, he liked to think she’d be proud of them both.

**Author's Note:**

> I love their relationship I really hope there is a big reveal next series. Tell me what you think if you have the time and if not, thanks for reading.


End file.
